PNP lists 5.4K violators in first day of ECQ in NCR Plus

 By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan  

QUARANTINE CHECKPOINT. Police personnel conduct a checkpoint along Emilio Aguinaldo Highway at the boundary of the cities of Imus and Dasmariñas in Cavite on Monday (March 29, 2021). The setting up of checkpoints is in compliance with the government's implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from March 29 to April 4, 2021 to prevent the spread of Covid-19. (PNA photo by Gil Calinga)

MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said it logged a total of 5,405 violators during the first day of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) implementation in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said 2,807 persons have violated the uniformed curfew while 2,598 are violators of the minimum health standard protocols.

As expected, National Capital Region (NCR) has the highest numbers of curfew violators with 1,894 followed by Laguna (371), Cavite (253), Rizal (205) and Bulacan (84).

The PNP also warned and fined 1,092 persons in NCR, 460 in Cavite, 373 in Laguna, 359 in Rizal, and 314 in Bulacan for not following health protocols such as wearing of face masks and face shields, and physical distancing.

Usana said the first day of the weeklong ECQ in NCR Plus bubble was generally peaceful although he noted some of the challenges the policemen have experienced on the ground such as dealing with persons not authorized to go outside their residences including children despite the restrictions.

He said plenty of public utility vehicles were not aware of the limited capacity imposed on them by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

The Department of Transportation reminded that public utility vehicles are not covered by the 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in the ECQ areas.

The PNP said it is expecting an increase in the number of locally stranded passengers until April 4 due to the canceled operations of train operations as part of maintenance protocols.

Lt. Gen. Cesar Hawthorne Binag, chief of the Joint Task Force Covid Shield, also said the ECQ in NCR Plus, was “generally peaceful” and “satisfactorily compliant”.

“The Philippine National Police is prepared because Chief PNP Debold Sinas has been meeting with regional directors and provincial directors,” Binag said in the Laging Handa briefing on Monday.

Binag said they have 1,112 quarantine control points (QCPs) to make sure the NCR Plus bubble is secured amid government’s efforts to contain the rising Covid-19 cases in the country.

He reiterated that non-Authorized Persons Outside of Residence must stay home while essential workers need to present identification in lieu of travel passes. (PNA)

 

BTA members want to upgrade Sulu Provincial Hospital

COTABATO CITY – Some members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament filed on March 24 a bill seeking to upgrade the provincial hospital in Sulu province.

BTA Bill No. 90 seeks to upgrade Level I Sulu Provincial Hospital into a Level II hospital, increasing its bed capacity to 200, upgrading its professional healthcare services and facilities, and authorizing the increase of its medical personnel.

The bill was authored by BTA Deputy Speakers Nabil Tan and Omar Yasser Sema, Deputy Majority Floor Leaders Khadafeh Mangudadatu and Paisalin Tago, Members of Parliament Amilbahar Mawallil and Jose Lorena, and Speaker Ali Pangalian Balindong.

Established in November 5, 1916, the 100-bed capacity Sulu Provincial Hospital is the main referral center that caters patients coming from all of Sulu’s 19 municipalities or equivalent to more than 900,000 people.

The hospital also does not have an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) which makes it difficult for hospital staff to attend to patients needing critical care.

Under the bill’s Section 3, the Bangsamoro Government shall provide the necessary funds to support the hospital’s increase in bed capacity and corresponding upgrading of its facilities and services.

According to the authors’ explanatory note, the hospital is severely under-staffed due to lack of significant number of plantilla positions.

Thus, Section 2 of the bill provides that the Ministry of Health, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Management and the Civil Service Commission, shall determine the additional positions to be created and filled up in coordination with the Sulu Provincial Hospital management.

Aforementioned BTA members also filed another bill which seeks to establish a 100-bed Level II General Hospital in Maimbung Municipality of Sulu.

This is to ensure that the residents of Maimbung and its neighboring communities are provided with immediate and more effective access to health care services since the municipality is far from Jolo, where the Sulu Provincial Hospital is located.

Once approved, the authors said the hospital will cater to patients coming from the island municipalities of Tapul, Para, Lugus, and Pandami which are more geographically accessible to Maimbung than to Jolo.

BARMM’s health ministry shall formulate necessary guidelines for the hospital’s operations and ensure the funding for its building and other infrastructures, facilities, medical equipment, as well its personnel services and other needed maintenance.

“It is the mandate of the Bangsamoro Government to establish, by law, a general hospital system to serve the health requirements of its people, and ensure that the individual basic right to life shall be attainable through the prompt intervention of excellent and affordable medical services,” said Deputy Speaker Tan during his sponsorship speech on BTA’s session last week.

“Let us bear in mind that we are building a nation […] building a nation starts with the protection of our valuable resource – which is the human resources. If we have weak citizens, unhealthy citizens, the dream of building a strong nation will remain a dream,” Tan emphasized. (Bangsamoro Information Office) (By Becky de Asis-The Redline News)

 

Dozens of high powered firearms and Private Armed Group (PAGs) surrendered to authority in BARMM

By: Mark Navales

Abo Group of Parang, Maguindanao (PAGs) headed by Ambie Anso Bansil aka Mama Abo (center / light blue shirt) handed over a homemade caliber 50 Barrett with scope and bipod to P/MGen Albert Ignatius D. Ferro, Director, CIDG (2nd from left) and other high powered firearms, explosives and ammunitions, witnessed along with Cotabato City Public Safety Office, headed by Gen. Rolen Balquin (Ret) (left) Deputy Director for Administration of PRO-BAR P/Col. Pablo Labra (3rd from right) CIDG-BAR Regional Chief P/Col. Tom Tuzon (2nd from right) and CIDG Region 9 Regional Chief P/LtCol. Cyrus Belarmino (right) and ten other Abo groups( in the background )on Thursday March 26, 2021 in a ceremony held at the Regional Field Unit BAR office at PC Hill, Cotabato City (By:Mark Navales)

Cotabato City -  Six members of the  former Mayor Ibrahim P. Ibay Private Armed Group (PAGs) headed by Abdul Moniem Ali aka Walad Ali (Leader) incumbent Barangay Chairman of Poblacion 2, Parang, Maguindanao and Ten of Abo Group Members headed by Ambie Anso Bansil aka Mama Abo (Leader) was surrender to the authority just earlier.

The said Private Armed Group (PAG), who are all included in the watch lists of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence was turned over las March 26, 2021 to the leadership of the PNP Criminal Investigation Group (CIDG) at the Regional Field Unit BAR office at PC Hill, Cotabato City to P/MGen Albert Ignatius D. Ferro, Director, CIDG, leads the officers and men of the PNP CIDG.

Along with them were the following assorted firearms, explosives and ammunitions which were surrendered to police authorities: One (1) unit homemade cal. 50 barrett with scope and bipod without serial number; One (1) unit homemade 7.62 MM barrett with one (1) magazine; One (1) unit homemade shotgun with SN: 061710 with one (1) magazine; One (1) unit shotgun 12 Gauge (Armscor) One (1) unit M130 Garand rifle without SN; One (1) unit KG9 with one (1) magazine bearing serial number 148687; One (1) homemade M79 Grenade Launcher; One (1) unit Cal. 357 revolver without serial number ; One (1) unit Cal .38 revolver without serial number; One (1) unit Cal .39 revolver with serial number 45089; Three (3) pieces rifle grenade; Two (2) pieces 40MM ammunitions; and Sixteen (16) pieces live ammunitions for 12 Gauge.

Police General Debold M Sinas, Chief PNP congratulates P/MGen Albert Ignatius D. Ferro, Director of CIDG and the personnel of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 9 Regional Chief P/LtCol Cyrus Belarmino, CIDG-BAR Regional Chief P/Col. Tom Tuzon, Provincial officer CIDG-Maguindanao P/Maj. Esmael Madin, Chief Regional Field Unit 9 in collaboration with RFU BAR, RID PRO BAR, 1st ZSPMFC, ZDS, Parang Municipal Police Station, JTG KUTAWATO and Cotabato City Police Office for the surrendered of PAGs in Maguindanao.

“The surrendered firearms, explosives and ammunition were turned over to CIDG RFU9 while the surrendered  group were turned over to the Local Government Unit for assessment and availment of livelihood assistance”, PNP Chief Sinas said.

"This should encourage other PAGs members and LLEs to return into the fold of law and live peacefully in the community together with their respective families", PNP Chief Sinas added

The Ibay Private Armed Group (PAGs) headed by Abdul Moniem Ali aka Walad Ali (center left) incumbent Barangay Chairman of Poblacion 2, Parang, Maguindanao (center right)  with P/MGen Albert Ignatius D. Ferro, Director, CIDG (left) with CIDG-BAR Regional Chief P/Col. Tom Tuzon together  with the surrendered six Ibay group posed with “heart signed” a symbol of love not war! on Friday March 26, 2021 in a ceremony held at  CIDG Regional Field Unit BAR office at PC Hill, Cotabato City. (Photo by Mark Navales)

P/MGen Ferro o, CIDG also said that due to the massive campaign of the national government through BARMM officials to dismantle Private Armed Groups, immediately the group of former Mayor Ibay voluntary surrendered together with his followers and their firearms at PRO BAR .,

“This campaign of CIDG against Private Armed Groups which is also in relation the Flagship Project “Oplan Salikop” is being supported by the stakeholders especially the Provincial Government of Maguindanao under Governor Bai Mariam Sangki Mangudadatu”. Ferro added.

“We are hoping that in the coming days, other private armed groups will also voluntarily surrender and will lay down their firearms to avoid more conflict between them because we were implement the law against them.

In 2019 Election former Mayor Ibay finished his three terms and Walad Ali was the opponent of Cahar P Ibay (brother of former Ibrahim P Ibay) in the mayoralty. However, Walad Ali lost in the said election which prompted them to separate from the group of former Mayor Ibay. Until they decided to surrender after they were convinced of the government’s sincerity in offering livelihood assistance to surrendering PAG members aside from their apprehension of the aggressive campaign of PNP CIDG Program Thrust in implementing the PNP’s Oplan Paglalansag Omega and Oplan Salikop particularly targeting armed groups. (By:Mark Navales)

 

 

 

 

 

2 marijuana plantations in Sulu torched

By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.  

UP IN SMOKE. A Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agent burns uprooted marijuana plants in one of two plantations discovered in Barangay Masjid Punjungan, Kalingalan Caluan, Sulu, on Friday (March 26, 2021). The alleged owner of the plantations, a certain Utoh, was not around during the raid. (Photo courtesy of the 11th Infantry Division-PIO)

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Lawmen burned some PHP21 million worth of marijuana and seized the illegal assets of an alleged drug supplier of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits in Sulu, officials announced Saturday.

Col. Hernanie Songano, commander of the 4th Marine Brigade, said fully grown marijuana plants were discovered Friday in two plantation sites in Barangay Masjid Punjungan, Kalingalan Caluang town.

Songano, also the Naval Task Group-Sulu commander, said the plantations, with a total area of two hectares, were discovered through the joint efforts of his command, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Sulu, and Sulu Police Provincial Office.

He said the alleged owner of the plantations, identified only as Utoh, was not around during the raid.

“We have burned the marijuana on site and we will continue to scour the area to locate other possible sites of marijuana plantation,” he said in an interview.

Maj. Gen. William Gonzales, 11th Infantry Division commander, said joint Marines, PDEA and police also recovered some PHP81,600 worth of suspected shabu, PHP5,000 cash, and gun parts in the municipality of Omar.

Gonzales said the seized items belong to Dawam Awam (alias Gabriel Silbiñis), a drug dealer operating in Omar and adjacent municipalities in the second district of Sulu.

Songano said Awam, aside from supplying illegal drugs and marijuana to ASG bandits, is also a known gunsmith in Omar. (PNA)